This is a record of my journey as a Muslim. I used to be Catholic and belonged to a missionary organisation. After my conversion, I sat on the board of a Muslim converts' organisation and specialised in da'wah programmes, convert management, interfaith issues and apostasy cases. I am an initiate of a Sufi order. As such, the articles and writings tend to cover these areas.
All the Arabic and graphics could not have been done without the help of my wife, Zafirah.

Friday, 26 September 2014

The Faith of Abraham II (a.s.)

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The following is taken from a
transcript of discourse delivered by Mawlana Waffie Mohammed at his weekly dzikr session held at the Hermitage
Masjid, on Thursday, 18th September 2014.

The personality and mission of
Abraham (a.s.) has many dimensions
and lessons for us. Throughout his life,
he was very much interested in passing on the legacy of monotheism. However, throughout his travels he realised
that he was not attracting the people as he would have hoped for and thus prayed
to Allah for a righteous offspring to carry on his teachings. Today, we will look at one aspect of his
personality which is his total and complete submission to Allah (s.w.t.).

Firstly, we need to understand that
Abraham (a.s.), up to his teenage
years, did not grow up with his parents.
When he eventually went home to his parents, he was surprised to see them
and his people worshipping idols. As a
matter of fact, his father made and sold idols.
So Abraham (a.s.) had a real problem
that manifested in him having many disagreements and theological clashes with
his father and his people.

Abraham (a.s.) used to ask his father, “O father, why do you worship that
which doesn't hear, doesn't see, and cannot avail you in anything?” He could not understand the logic of
submitting to something that was created and had no life; something that could
not even drive a fly away. He implored
his people to seek sustenance and guidance from the One True God.

We need to understand that Allah
(s.w.t.) is The Sustainer. Everything comes from Him and whatever we
want, we should beg of Him. He once Told
Prophet Musa (a.s.), “O Musa, ask Me
for everything, even the mending of your shoelaces.”

True submission and faith is not
easy for a lot of people. Even amongst
the believers; a lot of people say they have faith but do not really act upon
it when they seek assistance from soothsayers, for example. Abraham (a.s.)
tried to show the people in many ways that these creatures they worshipped
cannot help them as they even do not have any power of their own. And when his verbal reasoning failed he tried
another tactic.

A big celebration was planned where
everybody in the village would attend for a big feast on the riverbank. After making sure that no one was around, Abraham
(a.s.) went towards the temple armed
with an axe and destroyed all the statues except one; the biggest of them all. He hung the axe around its neck and left.

How big was the shock when the
people entered the temple! They gathered
inside watching in awe their gods broken in pieces. They wondered who might have done this. Then they all remembered that the young Abraham
(a.s.) preached against their idol
worship. They brought him to the temple
and asked him, “Are you the one who has done this to our gods?”

Abraham replied, “No, this
statue, the biggest of them has done it.”

“You know well that these idols
don't speak!” They said impatiently.

“Then how come you worship
things that can neither speak nor see, nor even fend for themselves? Have you lost your minds?"

Their minds and their senses
were telling them that the Truth is with Abraham (a.s.), but their pride prevented them to accept it, and reject the
idols they were worshipping for generations. This they thought would be total
defeat. They started yelling at him and
shouting: “Burn him! Take revenge for
our gods!”

When they decided to burn him,
Abraham (a.s.) showed no resistance. Even when he was flung towards the massive
fire, Jibril (a.s.) appeared to save
him. When Jibril (a.s.) said that Allah did not Command him to save Abraham (a.s.); Abraham (a.s.) refused the angels help and instead relied solely on Allah (a.s.).
He knew that Allah (a.s.) would
Take Care of him and in the process was giving his people practical da’wah.
Allah (s.w.t.) records this in
Surah al-Anbiya’:

We Bestowed aforetime on Abraham his rectitude of
conduct, and well were We acquainted with him.
Behold! He said to his father and
his people, “What are these images, to which ye are (so assiduously)
devoted?” They said, “We found our
father worshipping them.” He said “Indeed
ye have been in manifest error-ye and your fathers.” They said, “Have you brought us the Truth, or
are you one of those who jest?” He said,
“Nay, your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, He Who Created them
(from nothing): and I am a witness to this (truth). And by Allah, I have a plan for your idols ―
after ye go away and turn your backs.” So
he broke them to pieces, (all) but the biggest of them, that they might turn
(and address themselves) to it. They
said, “Who has done this to our gods? He
must indeed be some man of impiety!”
They said, “We heard a youth talk of them: he is called ‘Abraham.’” They said, “Then bring him before the eyes of
the people, that they may bear witness.”
They said, “Art thou the one that did this with our gods, O
Abraham?” He said, “Nay, this was done
by this, their biggest one! Ask them, if
they can speak intelligently!” So they
turned to themselves and said, “Surely ye are the ones in the wrong!” Then were they confounded with shame: (they
said). “Thou knowest full well that
these (idols) do not speak!” (Abraham)
said, “Do ye then worship, besides Allah, things that can neither be of any
good to you nor do you harm? Fie upon
you and upon the things that ye worship besides Allah! Have ye no sense?” They said, “Burn him and protect your gods if
ye do (anything at all)!” We Said, “O
Fire! Be thou cool, and (a means of))
safety for Abraham!” Then they sought a
stratagem against him: but We Made them the ones that lost most! (Surah
al-Anbiya’:51-70)

Allah (s.w.t.) Helps His servants from sources we can never imagine. Abraham (a.s.)
understood that he was at all times living in the Presence of Allah (s.w.t.) and this was later passed on to
us. This is why, when before we pray we
recite:

“For me, I have set my face, firmly and truly, toward
Him Who Created the heavens and the earth, and never shall I give partners to
Allah.” (Surah al-An’am:79)

People say we pray to the Ka’bah
but Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) is
reported to have said, “When you stand for swalah
facing the qiblah, understand that
Allah is before you, and is between you and the Ka’bah.”

We need to understand that we do
not own anything. Everything is from The
Creator. All He has Given is will power;
power to channel His Blessings on us in a direction of our chose. Humans are Blessed with a little bit of
freedom with the knowledge that we will be Taken to Judgement one day. We must submit to Allah (s.w.t.) and let Him Take Care of everything else. The entire life of Abraham (a.s.) contains instances and actions
where he demonstrated immaculate faith in Allah (s.w.t.); from the story we recapped above up until his mature
life. We too should strive to build our
reliance and faith in Allah (s.w.t.).

It is something easy to profess
but when the trials and test come your way, only then can we really test our
faith. Faith in Allah (s.w.t.) is something we cannot
rationalise. We must culture ourselves
to always trust and rely on our Lord and know that He will never let us down;
just as He Took Care of Abraham (a.s.)
in the most trying of times. May Allah (s.w.t.) Bless us all to develop faith
and trust in Him, similar to the faith shown by His friend, Abraham (a.s.) and all His other messengers, insha’Allah.